Ground gripping means for gun mounts



July 10, 1945. J. M. .1. RlBoUD 2,379,991

GROUND GRIPPING MEANS FOR GUN MOUNTS WWW am 7 mais Mqkcfz. Jau-.s Puoi/D ATTORNEYS July 1o, 1945( J, M, J RlBOUD '2,379,991

GROUNDl GRIPPING MEANS FOR GUN MOUNTS Filed Dec. 22, 1941 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 lNvENToR ATTO RN EYS July 10, 1945- J. M. J. RlBouD 2,379,991

GROUNDGRIPPING MEANS FOR GUN MOUNTS Filed Dec. 22, 1941 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 l Md 'v a ATTORNEYS Patented July 10, 1945 GROUND GRIPPING MEANS` Foa GUN yMOUNTS Jacques Marcel Jules Riboud, Mount Washington, vMd., assignor to Specialty Equipment and Machinery Corp., New York, N. Y., a corporation of Maryland Application December 22, 1941, Serial No. 423,893

Claims.

The present invention relates generally to armored enclosures.

An important factor in all gun mounts is the matter of recoil absorption. In all cases, adequate provision `must be made for the recoil, if the gun is to be used efllciently. Field guns which have a single tailstock have a horizontal arc of coverage which is severely limited to approximately 15 of the horizon. The arc of coverage is greater with iield pieces having a double tailstock, but if it isk sought to increase the degree of coverage, the sweep of iield, tailstock guns have proven to' be unsatisfactory because the recoil tends very quickly to shift the gun and its mount out of fline. In an earlier application, Serial No. 417,260, now Patent 2,361,570, dated October 31, 1944,*1 disclosed an armored enclosure having a completely revolvable turret so that generated by the recoil of the gun regardless'of itsv direction of fire.

, Another object of my invention is the provision of a support which may be removably fixed into the ground by the combined weight of the gun, the weight of the thrusting medium, and the thrusting force. l

' A further object of my invention is the pro# vision of armored enclosure supports which may beswung up out of the way when the enclosure is being moved from one site to another; which may be used to help support the enclosure during travelling movement, and which may lbe shifted into position for use quickly, simply and without any diillculty.

A further object of my invention is the provision of ground support means for an armored enclosure which comprise a plurality of individual leg members, adjustable as to length, having ground gripping means at the ends thereof.

A further object of my invention is the provision of means to support an armored enclosure with respect to the ground, which means are individually adjustable as to height, and which -areprovided with' ground gripping means.

A furtherv object of myinvention vis, the-provision ofmeans to support an armored enclosure with respect to the ground, which means' comprise a plurality of individual leg members, pivotally secured to the enclosure so as to be swing- In the drawings annexed hereto forming a part hereof, Y

Figure 1 is a side elevational view of one form of deviceconstructed according to and embodying my invention during travelling movement with the supporting legs swung up out of the Way;

Fig. 2 is a similar view of this modification showing the legs dropped down preparatory to xng the device into the ground;

Fig. .3 isa similar View of this modication showing the legs in iixed position on the ground;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged side elevational view of the leg and one form of ground gripping component which I may use' to x the leg into the ground;

Fig. 5 is an end elevational View thereof partly in section;

Fig. 6 is a perspective View of the blocks yor chocks I employ in this form of ground gripping mechanism;

Fig. 'l is a top plan of the ground gripping plate;

Fig. 8 is a side elevational View of a modified form of enclosure support constructed according to my invention; and

Figs.l r9 and 1()l are similar elevational views showing successive stages in the erection of the mounting and ground gripping mechanisms.

In the modification of Figs. 1 to 3, the armored enclosure is referred to generally by reference numeral Il), comprisinga rotatable turret mounted on a generally rectangular frame! I supported on its rear end by a pair of wide spacedwheels I2, I2 and at its front end by a pair of legs I4, I4. Legs I4, I4 are preferably of telescope construction, that is, they may be lengthened orA shortened, as desired, to compensate for local ground conditions. As shown in Fig. 1, legs I4, I4 are pivotally mountedvas at I6, at the iront end of frame II, so that they may be swung up y underneath the frame; The axis of the mounting is parallel to the front of the frame, and when the legs are swung up underneath the enclosure frame during travel, the legs extend toward the rear of the device in parallelism with the length of the frame. y

The yokedbottom end I8 of each leg I4 has a neath frame II, out of the way, and support for! the unit is distributed between the rear wheels I2, I2, and the conveying vehicle indicatedby reference numeral 25 which is attached to shaft I5.

I provide a generally rectangular ground-*grip-VY ping plate 3U, preferably ofl ilatheavy Fmetallic Y construction, which has a number of large, pointed spikes 32 on the undersidejthereof. On the upper surface of the plate I form a plurality of corrugations 34 of height and widthequal'tothe annular corrugations 22 about wheels 25. Plate 3l) is appreciably longer and wider Ythan wheels 2l), 2G, and to prevent any relative'lateral movement of the wheels .and plates, I provide vfor each wheel and plate combination a pair of blocks orA chocks 4B, 4B. These blocks 4l? are roughly triangular in cross section, and the base 44 of each block is transversely corrugated, as `at T45. The inner side 48 ofeach .block is corrugated,V as at 50. Each block is laterally apertured as at 52, and a number of bails or straps 54, 54 are provided which may be removably secured to the blocks so that they can be assembled with the wheels and plates easily and quickly.

On the corrugated upperside of platej3l, I se- The corrugated intert between the wheels, blocks and plate insure against any side-skid of the wheels with respect to the plates. Normally, the strength of the engagement between the wheels and plate exceeds that of the recoil of the firing mechanism, so that any sidewise or endwise movementi of'y the gung-legsfwill :beprevented no matter `fromf'what angle!` the gun is` 'red. When it is desired to shift the unit, the moving vehicle is attached to shaft I5 and the leg locks are released. TIraction is applied in a forward direc- -tion' and' as' theA frame is carried forwardly, the

""le'gs I4 are pulled up and out of the ground, Whenceithey mayhbe swung up out of the way cure two pairs of apertured upstanding flanges 60, 60 on opposite sides of andadjacent to the corrugations 34. I also provide elongated slide pins 62, 62 adapted to t through the apertured flanges.

of this modification of my invention, bails 54 are threaded over wheel 20, the VendsV being anchored in the blocks 40,40, tosecure .the blocks to the wheel. The corrugations 22 on the wheels inter.-

Suitable means are provided to keep the slide pins locked in place through the lflanges and the blocks. f

When the enclosure is moved' into position for firing, legs I4 with the wheel and block assembly secured thereonto, are Ydropifzed down-until the plate spikes 32 touch the ground, as shown in Fig. 2. The propelling vehicle 25 is V`then vbacked up, pushing against the legs.` While such movement has a normal tendency to Araise the `front shaft end I5 of the enclosure and also the rear end of the propeller 25, the rearward moving force of the propeller mechanism, acting upon the ground engaged plates, is multiplied by the combined factors of the weight of the enclosure and the weight of the propeller, and the plates 30, 36 are driven I into the ground under this force' until the body thereof is flush with the ground. I also `provide means to lock the legs I4, I4 as they are brought into position at right angles to the-frame under the thrust of the propeller mechanism.'

, ,40 In assembling the ground gripping components t snugly with the corrugations 5U, 5I)` on theinagains'ttll'eunder'side of the frame.

The ,corrugationfs are provided on the wheel, block and `plate assembly so that when the wheels at theends of thelegs are submitted to the thrust created by the recoil of the gun when the gun is Afired at an angle with respect to the platform,

they;..wil1 be preventedfromand held against skidding along their -rotationalaxisfoff the plate. The. important lfeature `of my. invention is the pivotallyr mounted legs, adjustable asto length, have ing` ground grippingmeansat. the ends thereof, and the `.blockand wheel arrangement, while novel, issecondary ,inimpo'rta'nce to the main concept of my invention.

In'yFigs 1 ,to '7,.I have shownfone form of leg and ground, gripping mechanism :wherein the Awheels and blocks are employed, but in,Figs. 8 to l0, I .h'availlustratedanother`form of leg arrangement, doin'g away with `thepwheels and blocks. l l,

In the form of Figs to 10le`gs`l0, .'I2`are each individually` adjustable asto length, and at the 'bottom-ends thereof, I, `pivotally'*mount a plate 80 thereto`,. so iasto swilfgilr` rockbackand forth alonganaxis parallel ftojthefaxisfof theleg con nection toframe-ll. .'In,tlf1is'lfofr'rn, Ieliminate the wheel andfthe, blocks A,and ymount fthe ground gripping'plate 80.,diret 1y;.onto,jnie @neef the ieg, and While .I have 'shownj a straightline rocking actionV between plate' yIl l'l` and` legs l0, @'12, I may equally well provide. (a, universal pivot 4connection therebetween. f if, j"

In l5fig's."8 to,10tlfe armo'redjg'un carrying lenclosure Illu,fisgmountedonframe IBL-having a ,scopiciconstruction also..

. LegsLm, i2 .fl-ie` pivtanyl .'reunedj .on freine IIl2, as at |08, and may lb'easwung up .alongside theframe, out/of the .,way,-during', movement of resWingable rearwardly,

paralleljto the frame Y i 4 are yokeky orbifurcated as atillsovas to'receive plates 30, are lat, 'heavy metallic ,members rectangular.; in shape, ihaving' plrelitr 0f 101.1%, Yshari mwieiieas 52.- prpiciirlg downwardly therefrom..- f Plates areypivotally, mounted onto the legs; as; by,.pi ns; 1],=.sc that whenzthe legsare in rthef fuptfnosition .o:fa Fig;1,. 8, the; proj ,actions Il 2 will extend downwardly towards the ground G, and when the legs are dropped (as in Figs. 9 and .the plates 80 will parallel ythe ground. Legs 10, 'I2 are preferably longer than the distance between the frame |02 and the ground when the frame is supported on the wheels |06, and when legs 10, 'l2 are initially dropped to the ground, they will be angled as shown in Fig. 9.

As traction or pushing pressure is applied, the projections 82, 82 will be forced into the ground underthe combined force of the moving vehicle, the weight of the enclosure and the weight of the moving vehicle. As the frame and enclosure are moved forwardly, -they are shifted from the support of wheels |06, |06 onto the support of the ground gripping legs 10, 12, and the frame and wheels lifted above ground level. As the 'frame is moved forwardly, thelegs 10, 'l2 are pivoted about pins 'I1 into right angle relation to frame |02, and 4they may be locked in that position against the frame as by clamp 90 tting over headed extensions 92 on the sides of the legs. Similar means are provided to lock legs I 4, I4 vonto frame Il, in the modication of Figs. 1 to 3.

In both modications, the desideratum is the same, that is, individually mounted legs, adjustable as to length, having ground grippingmeans thereon. 'In the rst form, I have illustrated and described a special type of ground gripping plates and means .to secure same to the wheeled legs. In the second form of my invention, the plates are permanently connected to the jack legs. The jack legs of Figs. 8 to 10 and those of Figs. 1 to 3 may be interchangeably employed, since both operate in the identical manner to support the enclosure during gun firing Ito prevent any sidewise or endwise movement. The particular types of supports for travelling movement which I have shown in both forms are illustrative, and do not limit my invention. Obviously, the ground gripper adjustable legs of my invention may be employed with other types of supports and in my invention is to be limited only by the scope of the annexed claims.

I claim:

l.. A platform, a gun thereon, and means to support the platform in spaced relation .to the ground and means to prevent sideor end-wise shifting of the platform during firing of the gun, the supporting means comprising a pair of legs at one end of the platform, each leg having a wheel at the terminal end thereof, lthe shift preventing means comprising a flat, ground contacting plate and a pair of blocks for each wheel secured between the wheel and the plate.

2. A platform, a gun thereon, and means to support the platform in spaced relation to the ground and means to prevent side-.or end-wise shifting of the platform during firing of .the gun, the supporting means comprising a pair of legs at one end thereof, each having a wheel at the bottom thereof, each wheel having a plurality of annular corrugations about the periphery thereof, the shift preventing means comprising a plate for each leg, corrugations on the upper side of each plate, the wheel and plate corrugations intertting and means to secure the wheels to the plates.

' 3. A platform, a gun thereon, and lmeans to support the platform in spaced relation to the ground and means to prevent sideor end-wise shifting of the platform during firing of the gun, the supporting means comprising a pair of legs at an end thereof, each leg having a wheel thereon, and each Wheel having a plurality of annular corrugations, and means .to prevent shifting of the platform comprising a ground gripping plate for each wheel, ythe upper surface being provided with a plurality of corrugations into which the wheel corrugations intert, a pair of blocks for each wheel, means to secure same to vthe kwheel and means to secure the blocks to the plate.

4. A eld piece comprising a platform, a gun containing turret thereon revolvable about 360 of horizon, means to support the platform in spaced relation to the ground comprising a pair of wheels permanently secured at one end of the platform, and a pair of jack legs at the opposite end, said jack legs during movement of the piece from one site .to another being swingable up against -the platform out of contact with the ground, and means to prevent shifting of the platform during firing of the gun, the shift preventing means comprising lthe jack legs each of which has a substantially flat ground gripping plate secured to the bottom of each leg and plvotally mounted thereon.

5. A field piece comprising a generally rectangular, fiat platform, a gun containing turret thereon revolvable about. 360 of horizon, Vand means to support the platform in spaced relation to the ground, said supporting means comprising a pair of wheels at one end of the platform and a pair of individually adjustable jack legs at the other end of the platform, and means to prevent side-wise or end-wise shifting of the platform during firing of the gun comprising a pair of substantially at plates, means to pivotally secure one of the plates to the bottom of each leg and cooperating means on the legs and plates to prevent side-wise or end-wise shifting of Ithe legs relative to the plates secured thereto.

JACQUES MARCEL JULES RIBOUD. 

